Leaving Antigua and passing Long Island/Jumby Bay, where a stay at its resort is $5000 per night, we are heading towards Guadeloupe. The weather has been not terribly humid and compared to the Mediterranean the air is not nearly as salty and the water temperature much warmer.

Guadeloupe belongs to France, euros is the accepted currency, hardly anyone speaks English, and we have encountered an overwhelming amount of USA registered boats. Where the Brits escape to Antigua, the French flock to Guadeloupe.

(01/27-01/29) One of our stops in the country was to the popular beach area of Deshaies, located in the Basse-Terre region. Known for its lush volcanic mountainsides, Deshaies presented us with mesmerizing sapphire blue waters hugged by fine white sand beaches. Well known beaches in the area are Plage de Grande Anse and Plage de la Perle.

Of course, no day would be complete without an “a-ha” moment. We decided to go ashore to Plage de Grande Anse via dinghy. We had a leisurely stroll through the mountainside, on to the beach, stopping to quench our thirst at a beach bar. Meanwhile, the tide came in filling the dingy with pounds of sand! It was not a fun afternoon of bailing water and sand that but well worth the beach visit. Just add it to the list of “we’ll never do that again!”

(01/29-02/04, 2024) Continuing along the coastline, we entered the Basse-Terre region of Guadeloupe, popular for their black beaches. Made from volcanic ash, the beach sand is fine and sticks to your feet very easily. To be honest, I prefer white sand and am anxious to witness the pink sands of Eleuthera, Bahamas.

(01/30-02/01) Next was a visit to famous Pointe-A-Pitre, a city situated in the region of Grande-Terre. This city is popular for its lively markets, outdoor cafes, and colonial inspired homes. Here, we checked into a marina for a few days to take care of the usual maintenance issues, plan our next leg of our trip, and stretch our legs. Disembarking the boat, even for a few hours, is always welcomed.

(02/01) With the marina behind us, we are thrilled to be traveling again in the fresh, open sea air. Marinas, in my opinion, are acceptable for about two to three days. It enables you the ability fuel up, deep clean the boat, get rid of trash, regroup, and to provision (purchase food and such) heavily, while easily touring the area. The negative is that the boats are packed together, it can be noisy and nosy, and there is little air circulation.

(02/01-02/04) Ending our time in Guadeloupe, we traveled to Saint-Louis and finally to Terre-de-Haut to clear customs and immigration. I have FINALLY dove into fabulously clear warm water, swimming with sea turtles, tons of colorful fish, and even the fish called sea lions.

Sending happy birthday wishes to my brother John and brother-in-law, Mike!